Networking
16 messages in this thread
What can I do to connect two amigas in network without using Parnet
and other machines ??? (DNet too…)
Massimo,
You might be able to use a "null modem" between the two serial ports,
but that would only give you raw data out = raw data in.
There is an Ethernet board and TCP/IP software that uses that board, if
you want to go to a "real" network. There is also an ENLAN-??? product
available (I can NEVER remember the last part of that product – phooey!).
I am sure that others will have more suggestions.
Real World:southern Illinois,USA Internet:ca0008 at siucvmb.siu.edu
Thanx. Do you now where I can find some informations about the Ethernet board
?? Can I use this board to connect _only_ two aamigas ??
Massimo,
The Ethernet board, as far as I know will support as many Amigas as you
care to fit with the card. I think the determining factor is the software.
If you look in the AmigaVendors forum there is a company called "Oxxi"
that do software relating to networking Amigas.
I know that here in the UK Ethernet boards are very difficult to find. In
fact when I rang Commodore it took a great deal of time and effort before
I could find someone who knew what an Ethernet card was!
Penso che i Stati Uniti e il posto di comprare questo "board". Spero che
tu abbia meglio fortuna di me!
Ciao,
Gregorio.
Massimo,
The information I have comes from CBM flyers dated, I believe, back in
1990. I have heard that there is a newer version – maybe someone else can
attest to that. Here are the basics for the A2065 (CBM Ethernet board):
autoconfig, 10Mbps (CSMA/CD interface), DMA access to shared RAM,
ANSI 802.3 compliant, can use Thick (Type A) or Thin (Type B) cables,
32K onboard RAM
I couldn't find any ads for one in the January, 1993 issue of AmigaWorld,
but it probably costs somewhere between $200 – $400. If you only need file
access between two Amiga's, you should try using ParNET, which is
available in one of the Amiga libraries (you'll need a special cable,
however – about $30).
The TCP/IP software flyer is also old, and too long to really list
everything here, but here are the basics for AS225:
supports (requires) A2065, requires 1MB RAM minimum, provides VT100
terminal emulation, NFS Client, full host (DNS) table, TFTP, ARP,
FTP, RFC742 FINGER, UDP
I have not seen any ads for this either, but it probably costs somewhere
between $150 – $250. These costs are PER unit, so you would need twice
that for two Amiga's.
Again, ParNET works well and does provide for file access from either
machine. If you "use it often enough", they request a "shareware
donation", I believe.
Other than CBM itself, I don't know where you could get the above Ethernet
components. Others may offer you different solutions, but if you are going
strictly from one Amiga to another, I doubt that you really want a "full
blown" network setup, unless, that is, if you can afford it.
Real World:southern Illinois,USA Internet:ca0008 at siucvmb.siu.edu
I have tried PARnet and used for some time, but I want to installa aBBS on one
Amiga and share the resources between this Amiga and another Amiga in the same
desk. I have the boubt that PARnet is not so efficient as I need. Thanx MB-)
Massimo,
Hmmm – I have only used ParNET twice, so won't say that it is the best
solution for you, but, if all you need is access to the file system of the
other machine, it should be adequate enough to accomplish that (in a two
machine, only, environment).
You can even execute programs across "the cable", but you will loose
locallized ASSIGN's and assumed directory references (eg; initialization
files in the S: directory, which would point to the local machine, not the
one where the program (file) was being executed (read) from).
I have no experience with running a BBS and trying to use ParNET, but
perhaps someone else does or can offer you so more insight (?).
Real World:southern Illinois,USA Internet:ca0008 at siucvmb.siu.edu
Jim, I would warn against ParNet. I've used it for years and it has some
_major_ bugs. Meanwhile, Commodore sits on the code and denies us even a
bug fix.
Of course, I could use this as yet another opportunity to state
everything that's wrong with Amiga networking (e.g. Commodore still hasn't
got netoworking on the A500 or A1200, Ethernet cards are in short supply,
ParNet is being used to add CD-ROM capability to Amiga CPUs, etc.). If
they just fixed ParNet, it would improve the situation by 100%.
-Chris
Christopher,
There now IS a patch to ParNET in one of "our" libraries here, but it
may not be what you have wanted (?).
Correct – CBM does not appear to have much of a presence in the
"networking arena", and I truly hope that it will forge ahead with this,
since this is one major way to "join up with" the other platforms.
Windows-NT was supposed to have networking "built in", though it looks
like the initial release will not have this capability. I would love to
see AmigaDOS xxx with not only RTG, but also, "networking built in".
It IS interesting, however, that over the last several years how the
Amiga, OS/2, and Apple 'systems' have implemented very similar new
mechanisms (such as Amiga's WorkBench Startup), sooooooooo, maybe CBM will
do more in the future in expanding its system capabilities ?
Real World:southern Illinois,USA Internet:ca0008 at siucvmb.siu.edu
I've tried NetPatch, and it doesn't fix the lockup problems when accessing
assigned system directories, for instance. ParNet is also touchy in my
A4000, particularly with the caches on.
-Chris
Christopher,
Hmm – what do you mean by "ParNet is also touchy in my A4000,
particularly with the caches on"? I have an A2000 with a PP&S '040 (with
all caches on), but have only used ParNet twice (so far). There were
occassions where I seemed to have "locked things up", but then these were
also occuring, most likely, because of a system crash (or reset) on one of
the two boxes.
Real World:southern Illinois,USA Internet:ca0008 at siucvmb.siu.edu
Then you have not run Parnet enough. Sustained transfers tend to cause data
errors and eventual crash. If I turn the caches off on the sending machine
(usually the 4000) the problem almost disappears. I can also see the errors
before the lockup because I was primarily transmitting images, and I could see
the flaws caused by ParNet. I didn't have this particular problem with the
A3000-A500 setup, although it did forget or refuse to access assigned
directories most of the time.
-Chris
That's ENLAN-DFS and it does a very good job for an amiga only network
(also works with DECNET but i'm using simply to allow one amiga access to
the big disk on the other).
lGlamb lglamb+RV13@rvdc.unisys.com
CTOS Data Comm Support
This can be a good thing to me. Do you know where can I find this boards ?? The
price ??
Ciao
MB-)
MB,
I got from Briwall. ENLAN was $230 for 5 node license. Boards are
standard CBM A2065s. Price was something just under $300 each.
I'm running over ThinNet cable but I believe these boards will also go to
an external MAU which means you could probably install a 10BaseT network.
Briwall is very good at integrating this type of stuff so I'ld ask them
for details. They also had a shared SCSI based system that I couldn't use
due to cabling problems but I believe was less costly.
lGlamb lglamb+RV13@rvdc.unisys.com
CTOS Data Comm Support
Thanx. But… A2065 is already producted (I know little English..) ??? Ciao
MB-)